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CONSTITUTION 



BY-LAWS 



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Adopted July 3, 1875. 





BOSTON: 

TOLMAN & WHITE, PRINTERS, 383 WASHINGTON STREET 

18 75. X> 




CONSTITUTION 



BY-LAWS 



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Adopted July 3, 1875. 




BOSTON : 

TOLHAN & WHITE, PRINTERS, 383 WASHINGTON STREET. 

18 75. 



3 2./ 



At the meeting of the Society, February 6, 1875, it was 

Voted, That a committee of nine be appointed by the President, of which he shall 
be chairman, to examine the By-Laws of the Society and to report what changes 
therein are desirable. 

The chair appointed Charles O. Whitniore, Charles M. Hovey, William Gray, Jr., 
Robert Manning, James Cruickshanks, Edward S. Rand, Jr., John C. Hovey, and 
William C. Strong. 

This committee presented their report at the quarterly meeting, April 3, when it 
was unanimously voted that it be entered on the records and lie over for considera- 
tion at the quarterly meeting in July. 

At the meeting on the 19th of June, William C. Strong offered the following vote : 

Voted, That the Constitution of this Society be so amended as to conform to the 
By-Laws now before the Society for acceptance and be merged therein, and that the 
code for the government of the Society be hereafter known as the Constitution and 
By-Laws of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 

The proposed amendments, being the new code of By-Laws, were read once as re- 
quired in the article providing for Amendments to the Constitution, and the vote was 
unanimously passed. 

This subject also came up for final action at the quarterly meeting, July 3, when 
the code of By-Laws proposed on the first Saturday in April was adopted as the 
Constitution and By-Laws of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 

At the quarterly meeting, on the 2d of October, a large number of verbal amend- 
ments were adopted, which are incorporated in the code as here printed. 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 



SECTION I. 

THE OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY. 

The Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, four 
Vice-Presidents, and a Recording Secretary, who shall be chosen 
by ballot at the annual meeting, and shall hold their offices for one 
year, and until others are chosen in their stead ; and a Treasurer 
and a Secretary, who shall be appointed according to Section 
XVI ; provided, however, that no person shall be eligible to the 
office of President unless he shall have been a member for the 
three years preceding. 

SECTION II. 

PROFESSORS. 

A Professor of Botany and Vegetable Physiology and a Pro- 
fessor of Entomology shall be elected at the annual meeting of 
the Society, who shall, ex officio, be members of the Library Com- 
mittee. 



SECTION III. 

STANDING COMMITTEES. 

There shall be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting the fol- 
lowing Standing Committees : — 
An Executive Committee of 
A Finance Committee of 
A Committee on Publication and Discussion, 
" " for Establishing Prizes, of 

" " on the Library, 

" " " Gardens, . 

" " " Fruits, 

" " " Plants and Flowers, 

" " " Vegetables, 

" " of Arrangements, . 



of 



4 members. 

3 

3 

3 

5 

4 

7 

7 

7 

9 



4 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 

SECTION IV. 

ANNUAL MEETING. 

The annual meeting for the election of Officers, Professors, and 
Standing Committees, shall be held on the first Saturday of October, 
and they shall enter upon their respective duties on the first Satur- 
day of January ensuing. 

SECTION V. 

ELECTIONS. 

At least ten days' notice shall be given by the Recording Secre 
tary of every annual election, by publishing the same in not less 
than three newspapers printed in the city of Boston. The notice 
shall specify the time and place of said election, and the different 
Officers, Professors, and Committees, to be voted for ; and unless 
thirty members at least shall be present, and give in their votes, 
the President or presiding officer shall adjourn the election for 
the term of three weeks, of which adjourned election the like 
notice shall be given as of the annual election, and the. election 
shall then proceed, whatever may be the number of members 
present. 



SECTION VI. 

BALLOTING. 

The names of persons to be balloted for at the annual election 
shall be contained on one ballot, and the offices for which they are 
respectively nominated, and the Chairmen of the several Commit- 
tees, shall be distinctly designated thereon. The President or 
presiding officer shall appoint a Committee of three to receive, 
assort and count the votes given, and report the number ; the polls 
shall remain open one hour at least ; and the President shall de- 
clare who has a majority and who are elected. 



SECTION VII. 

THE STATED MEETINGS. 

The stated meetings of the Society shall be held on the first 
Saturdays of January, April, July, and October. Should a legal 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 



holiday occur on any of the aforesaid days, the meeting shall be 
held on the Saturday next succeeding. 



SECTION VIII. 

QUORUM. 

Twenty members, exclusive of the President or presiding officer, 
shall be a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings 
except that of the annual election. 



SECTION IX. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

1. Reading the Records of the last meeting. 

2. Proposals for membership. 

3. Reports of Committees. 

4. Deferred and new business. 

5. Elections. 

6. Reading of communications. 



SECTION X. 

VACANCIES. 

Whenever a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the So- 
ciety, except those of Treasurer and Secretary, it shall be filled 
by a special election, of which two weeks' notice shall be given by 
the Recording Secretary in not less than three newspapers printed 
in the city of Boston ; and if vacancies occur in the Standing 
Committees, they may be filled at any meeting of the Society. 



SECTION XL 

THE PRESIDENT. 

The duty of the President shall be to preside at all the meetings 
of the Society ; to keep order ; to state the business before the 
Society ; to state and put questions, and, in case of an equal divis- 
ion on any question, to give the casting vote ; to call for accounts 
and reports from all committees ; to call special meetings of the 



6 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

Society, when requested in writing by twelve members, and gen- 
erally to superintend the execution of such By-Laws and Regula- 
tions as the Society shall from 'time to time enact, not otherwise 
provided for. He shall also report, from time to time, what 
measures, in his judgment, are necessary for promoting its objects 
and extending its usefulness. He shall annually, on or before the 
first Saturday in August, appoint a Committee of seven mem- 
bers, who shall nominate suitable candidates for the various 
offices of the Society for the ensuing year ; and said Committee 
shall make their report on or before the first Saturday of Septem- 
ber, in each year. ^ 



SECTION XII. 

THE VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

In the absence of the President at any meeting of the Society, 
the senior Vice-President present shall preside, and exercise all 
the authority, privileges, and power of the President ; and in case 
neither the President nor any one of the Vice-Presidents shall be 
present, the Society shall choose a President pro tempore, who shall 
be invested with all the power and authority of the President. 



SECTION XIII. 

THE TREASURER. 

The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the Society, 
and deposit the same in some bank in the city of Boston, where 
his account, as Treasurer, shall be kept, and all payments shall 
be made by checks. He shall pay prizes and gratuities upon the 
written order of the Chairmen of the respective Committees ; and 
shall pay all bills when audited and examined by the Secretary. 
He shall have the care and custody of the seal of the Society and 
of the dies for the medals ; and he shall cause the medals to be 
struck when required, and shall deliver them as awarded. He 
shall have in his safe keeping the bonds, deeds, notes, certificates 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 7 

of stock, and other evidences of property ; shall make all trans- 
fers and investments, with the consent and approval of the Fi- 
nance Committee ; shall pay the taxes, insurance, interest on 
loans, and other debts, and keep a correct account of the disburse- 
ments and receipts of the Society. He shall also act as Superin- 
tendent of the Building, subject to the orders of the Finance Com- 
mittee, and shall attend to the care and letting of the same, and 
the collection of rents and other income of the Society. For the 
faithful performance of his duties he shall give bonds, in such sum 
and with such sureties as shall be approved by tha Finance Com- 
mittee, and he shall in the discharge of these duties be subject to 
the control of said Committee. He shall also act as Librarian 
under the direction of the Library Committee. 



^ SECTION XIV. 

THE SECRETARY. 

The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Society ; 
he shall keep copies of the same in a book provided for the pur- 
pose, which shall be open to the inspection of the members at any 
meeting ; he shall receive and read all letters and papers ad- 
dressed to the Society, and shall dispose of them as provided by 
the By-Laws or directed by the Society. He shall audit and ex- 
amine all bills and demands against the Society before payment of 
the same by the Treasurer. 

He shall, under the direction of the Committee on Publication 
and Discussion, act as Editor of the publications of the Society, 
prepare them for the press and superintend the printing thereof. 
He shall make notes, for publication, of meetings for the discus- 
sion of horticultural subjects, and shall perform such other lite- 
rary work as may be directed by the Society, or as may not be 
otherwise provided for. 

In the absence of the Recording Secretary the Secretary shall 
perform his duties ; and in the absence of both Secretaries the 
President shall appoint a Secretary or Recording Secretary pro 
tempore. 



O MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

SECTION XV. 

THE RECORDING SECRETARY. 

The Recording Secretary shall give notice of all stated and 
special meetings of the Society, by a notice published in some 
newspaper printed in the city of Boston, and of adjourned meet- 
ings, by a notice posted in the Library Room of the Society, and 
shall regularly record the proceedings thereof in a book to be 
kept for that purpose. 

He shall give notice to each person of his election to office or 
membership in the Society. He shall record the election of every 
member, and report his name and residence to the Treasurer. 
He shall deliver to the Executive Committee a copy of the pro- 
ceedings of each meeting whenever requested, and shall prepare 
and countersign all diplomas or certificates of membership. 

SECTION XVI. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, who 
shall be Chairman, the Ex-Presidents, the Chairman of the Finance 
Committee, and four members chosen as provided in Section III. 
They shall consider and report upon all questions of the appropria- 
tions of money, and no appropriation shall take effect without 
their approval. They shall appoint a Treasurer and a Secretary of 
the Society in December of each year, or whenever a vacancy shall 
occur ; and they may remove them, or either of them, and appoint 
others instead, whenever, in their opinion, the interests of the 
Society shall require it. They shall have free access, at all times, to 
the records of the Society, and to the books of the Treasurer, and 
shall recommend to the Society, on or before the first Saturday of 
November, the amount to be appropriated for prizes and gratui- 
ties the ensuing year ; and also, on the first Saturday of Decem- 
ber, report the list of those to be offered by the respective com- 
mittees, with their approval of the same. The Committee shall 
hold regular meetings on such day of each and eveiy month as 
they may determine, and whenever called together by written no- 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 9 

tice of the President, and at such meetings Ave members shall be 
a quorum, and no appropriation shall be passed except at a duly 
organized meeting of the Committee. The Committee shall choose 
a Secretary, who shall keep a record of each meeting. 



SECTION XVII. 



FINANCE COMMITTEE. 



The Finance Committee shall have a general supervision of the 
Building and other property of the Society, and shall approve all 
transfers and investments before the same are made by the Treas- 
urer. They shall audit and examine the Treasurer's account in 
time for him to present the same to the Society on the first Sat- 
urday of January. They shall make all settlements with the Pro- 
prietors of the Cemetery of Mount Auburn, and generally adjust 
all matters appertaining to the indentures between the Society and 
that Corporation. They shall also, with the concurrence of the 
President, determine the number and salaries of all officers of the 
Society, not provided for by the By-Laws. 



SECTION XVIII. 



LIBRARY COMMITTEE. 



The Committee on the Library shall have charge of all books, 
drawings and engravings, and shall, from time to time, procure 
such works as may be deemed expedient, not exceeding the 
amount appropriated for the purpose. They shall cause the Li- 
brary to be opened for the use of members during all business 
hours, and at such other times as the} 7 may deem expedient. They 
shall report on the first Saturday in December the condition of the 
Library, and what measures may be necessary to preserve and 
increase it ; and shall adopt and enforce regulations for the Li- 
brary and Cabinet, which have been approved by tbe Society. 
These regulations shall be affixed to every volume, and posted in 
the Library room. 



10 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

SECTION XIX. 

COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION AND DISCUSSION. 

This Committee shall superintend all publications of the Soci- 
ety, and it may engage, with the concurrence of the President, 
such assistance as may be requisite. 

It shall also have the direction and control of discussions, lec- 
tures, and essays on horticultural subjects, and it shall be empow- 
ered, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to offer prizes 
for written contributions to horticultural knowledge, to an extent 
not exceeding the amount which the Society may place at its dis- 
posal. 



SECTION XX. 

COMMITTEE FOR ESTABLISHING PRIZES. 

This Committee shall consist of the Chairmen of the Committees 
on Fruits, Plants and Flowers, Vegetables, and Gardens, and three 
other members, who shall be chosen as provided in Section III ; 
and the Committee elect shall present to the Executive Committee, 
on or before the first Saturday of December, a list of the prizes 
they recommend to be offered, which, if approved, shall be adopted 
and published as the List of Prizes for the ensuing year. 



SECTION XXI. 

COMMITTEES FOR AWARDING PRIZES AND GRATUITIES. 

These Committees shall be the Committee on Fruits, the Com- 
mittee on Plants and Flowers, the Committee on Vegetables, and 
the Committee on Gardens. Two members of either of these 
Committees shall be a quorum, and if two members shall not be 
in attendance the member present may appoint other members of 
the Society to fill the vacancy. The said committees, except that 
on Gardens, shall attend at the Society's Hall, one hour before the 
same is opened to the public, to examine the specimens exhibited, 
and award the Prizes or Gratuities ; also to attend at such other 
times and places as may be prescribed by the Society. They shall 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 11 

make rules in regard to the time and manner of exhibiting speci- 
mens for prizes, to be approved by the Society. They shall 
examine all new Plants, Flowers, Fruits, or Vegetables presented 
at the exhibitions, and report their correct names, descriptions, and 
merits. They shall make a report of each Exhibition for publica- 
tion. 

The Committee on Gardens shall visit gardens, parks, and 
grounds, offered for prizes, under such rules as may be prescribed 
by the Society ; and in making their awards the Committee shall 
have reference to the arrangement and laying out of such gardens, 
grounds, etc., as in accordance with true principles of beauty and 
art ; to the adaptation of the trees, shrubs, and plants therein to 
such arrangement, and to the uses to which such are applied, as 
well as to their keeping and cultivation. 

On the first Saturday of December, the said Committees shall 
report to the Society the Prizes and Gratuities awarded b} T them. 

No member of any of the Committees for awarding Prizes or 
Gratuities shall in any case vote respecting an award for which 
such member may be a competitor, or have an interest therein ; 
but in such case such member or members shall temporarily with- 
draw from the committee, and the vacancy shall be supplied by 
the remaining members ; and in case all the members of an}- com- 
mittee are competitors for any and the same prize, the award of 
the same shall be made by a special committee appointed for the 
purpose by the President, or, in his absence, b}' either of the Vice- 
Presidents of the Society. 



SECTION XXII. 

COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 

The Committee on Gardens shall consist of the Chairmen of 
the respective Committees on Fruits, Plants and Flowers, and 
Vegetables, and four members to be chosen as provided in Section 

in. 



12 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

SECTION XXIII. 

COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS. 

There shall be in June, and in September or October, one or 
more Exhibitions of Fruits and Flowers, or of Fruits, Flowers, and 
Vegetables, either separately or together, as the Society may direct, 
and a Committee of Arrangements, to consist of the Chairmen of 
the Standing Committees on Fruits, Plants and Flowers, Vegeta- 
bles, and Gardens, and nine other members, shall be chosen as 
provided in Section III, to superintend the same. 



SECTION XXIV. 

ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 

All proposals of Candidates for Life and Subscription Member- 
ship, shall be submitted to the Executive Committee, who shall 
examine the same, and report, on the first Saturday of each month, 
the names of such persons as they recommend for election. A 
majority of the members present shall be necessary to elect a 
member. 



SECTION XXV. 

HONORARY AND CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. 

The Society may (upon recommendation of the Executive Com- 
mittee) elect Honorary and Corresponding Members at any stated 
meeting, to each of whom the Secretary shall transmit a Diploma 
or Certificate of election, under the seal of the Society, signed 
by the President and countersigned by the Recording Secretary ; 
and such members shall not be entitled to hold office or to vote at 
any meeting. 

SECTION XXVI. 

LIFE MEMBERS. 

The payment of thirty dollars shall constitute a Life Member- 
ship, and exempt the member from all future assessments. And 
any member, having once paid an admission fee, may become a 
Life Member by the payment of twenty dollars in addition thereto. 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 13 

SECTION XXVII. 

FEES AND ASSESSMENTS. 

Every subscription member, before he receives his diploma, or 
exercises the privileges of a member, shall pay the sum of ten 
dollars as an admission fee, and shall be subject afterwards to an 
annual assessment of two dollars. 



SECTION XXVLU. 

PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP. 

Each member of the Society shall be entitled to the following 
privileges : 

1. To be present and vote at all the meetings of the Society. 

2. To have personal access to the Library, and to consult any 
of the periodicals, books, or plates, or to examine any of the 
models belonging to the Society, under the rules of the Library 
Committee. 

3. To have free admission to all the exhibitions of the Society, 
for himself and his immediate family. 

4. To receive all the publications of the Society, under the rules 
of the Committee on Publication and Discussion. 

5. To receive a share of any seeds, scions, trees, or plants, 
that may be distributed. 



SECTION XXIX. 

DISCONTINUANCE OF MEMBERSHIP. 

Any member who shall neglect, for the space of two years, to 
pay his annual assessment, shall cease to be a member of the So- 
ciety ; and the Treasurer shall erase his name from the list of 
members. Any member may withdraw from the Society, on giv- 
ing notice to the Treasurer, and paying the amount due from 
him to the Society. 

SECTION XXX. 

EXPULSION OF MEMBERS. 

If any member shall dishonor the Society, or shall be guilty of 
any breach of good faith towards the Society, he may be expelled 



14 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

therefrom, two-thirds of the members present voting for his expul- 
sion. But no member shall be expelled unless a written notice of 
the motion be served by the Secretary upon him personally, or left 
at his usual place of abode, at least twenty days before it is acted 
upon. 



SECTION XXXI. 

FISCAL YEAR. 

The Fiscal Year shall commence on the first day of January, 
and all assessments for the coming year shall be due at that 
time. 



SECTION XXXII. 

APPROPRIATIONS . 

Appropriations of money may be made on the first Saturdays of 
January, April, July, and October, only, except that in case of 
postponement by reason of a legal holiday, as provided in Section 
VII, they may be made on the Saturday next succeeding. 



SECTION XXXIII. 

PRIZES AND GRATUITIES. 

Prizes or gratuities may be awarded to any person for the 
exhibition of any Fruits, Plants, Flowers, or Vegetables, either 
new in their kind, or of uncommon excellence ; or for any new and 
successful method of cultivating any variety of Fruits, Flowers, 
Plants, Trees, Shrubs, or Vegetables ; or for any of the objects 
recommended by the Standing Committees on Fruits, Plants and 
Flowers, Vegetables, and Gardens ; or for any other object imme- 
diately connected with Horticulture ; or for the essential advance- 
ment of the objects of the Society in any other way. But no 
gratuity shall be awarded for any object which shall have been entered 
or exhibited for a prize. Nor shall any prize be awarded for any 
object not worthy of the same. Nor shall any gratuity given for 
any object be of a larger amount than the lowest prize established 
for the same object. 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 15 

SECTION XXXIV. 

DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS. 

Whenever any donation or bequest shall be made to the Society 
for any specific object, it shall be so applied, and the name of the 
donor and the amount and description of each donation shall be 
registered in a book kept for the purpose. 

The Executive Committee may recommend the award of medals, 
or other testimonials, to donors or benefactors of the Society who 
have advanced its interests or promoted its usefulness. 



SECTION XXXV. 

DISTRIBUTION OP SEEDS AND PLANTS. 

All donations of seeds and plants shall be delivered to the 
Chairmen of such Committees as the President may order, for 
examination and distribution, and the recipients shall be requested 
from time to time to report their success in the cultivation of the 
same to the Society. 



SECTION XXXVI. 

AMENDMENTS. 

Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed 
on the first Saturdays of January, April, July, and October, only. 
They shall be stated in writing, and have two readings at the time 
of proposal ; if a majority of the members present vote in their 
favor, they shall be entered on the records of the Society, and 
lie over for consideration at the next quarterly meeting or an 
adjournment thereof; when, if two-thirds of the members present 
shall vote in favor of adopting such amendments, they shall be- 
come a part of the By-Laws. 



SECTION XXXVII. 

VOTING BY PROXY. 

Voting by proxy shall not be allowed. 



16 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

SECTION XXXVIII. 

All Constitutions, Ity-Laws and votes now in operation, which 
conflict with this code, are hereby repealed. 



SECTION XXXIX. 

Elections and appointments under this Constitution and By- 
Laws, shall take effect in October and December of the current 
year, 1875. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




003 143 830 5 « 



